The Worcester Boys Club, in Worcester, MA is currently undergoing renovation to be be repurposed as a venue available to the community for a variety uses. In it’s previous life, it was a recreational space for the youth of Worcester. Some spaces have been used already for fundraisers and other events, accounting for the creative art in the building.
This stunning Church was built opened in 1860 after 5 years of construction. Demographic changes and declining participation in religious organizations resulted in limited use of the building by the 1980’s, and complete abandonment in the 1990s. In the 2000’s, under the ownership by a historic preservation group, over $700,000 was spent to stabilize the structure, before being turned over to the City, who currently owns the unused building.
This abandoned Catholic Institution closed several years ago, and redevelopment plans have failed to materialize. The site includes several buildings including a large chapel, school buildings and a nursing home. Several buildings remain remarkably intact.
In the small upstate City of Mechanicville, there once was a Catholic School. The School closed back in the 90s. It will soon be converted to apartments. Although the building is mostly cleaned out, I am glad to have had the opportunity to see it before it’s history is buried for ever. It was a bitterly cold morning, about 12 degrees. Thankfully, the light was wonderful.
In Northeastern Pennsylvania there is an abandoned Shriners Temple. It is beautifully deteriorated, with minimal vandalism, spare a little bit of tagging, and the requisite destroyed bathrooms.
This Abandoned Convent has a long history, and more recently was a religious school. When the school moved out, it was slated for redevelopment into apartments. Most of sprawling complex is uninteresting, remaining completely gutted and ready for the next step, 4 years since construction stopped. A limited amount of work was done in the chapel, and much of its ornate woodwork remains in good condition.
